Bravo Team: Zero Mission
by Hazen S. Redfield
Summary: After the Arklay Cannibals situation becomes too serious for the RPD, S.T.A.R.S are called in. The first group to head to the forest surrounding the Arklay Mountains is Bravo Team. Little did they know what they were getting involved in was more than a gr
1. Chapter 1

The television in the briefing room played loudly, showing a young woman dressed in a red skirt and black blouse discussing the weather Raccoon City would have over the next week. It was mid-July so things were hot, a little too hot to be comfortable. Around the room, chairs were filled with bodies. Chris Redfield sat in a chair that was turned backwards, his arms resting across the top of it. Across from him Joseph in another chair, slightly slouched down. On the other side of the room Forest Speyer leaned against the wall, his arms folded over his chest, Richard Aiken stood next to him and finally, seated next to them at a desk was Brad Vickers.

"Another hot day in Raccoon, like we didn't know that already." Forest said in his deep voice with just a hint of a southern tinge. He pushed off the wall and headed across the room to a vending machine on a wall beside the television. As he rummaged through his pocket for change Joseph nudged Chris who seemed to be in his own little world.

"You okay, man? You seem out of it."

"I'm fine. Just thinking."

It had been three months since the first body was discovered. The police had said it was a cougar attack, or maybe a pack of wild wolves. Whatever had happened, the young woman had been severely mauled. The death was ruled accidental; a hiker going off the trail and having the luck to come across a hungry wild animal. But it didn't stop there. Over the next few weeks more bodies had turned up, all suffering the same wounds; large bites that lead to death by trauma.

Before Joseph could push the issue further Forest turned the set up louder as a well-dressed man in a suit with brown hair combed back came on. Around him the scene was a wooden barricade, police officers, ambulances, and fire trucks. It was the scene of the most recent finding – bringing the body count up eleven.

"Good evening. This is Chet Richmond on the outskirts of Raccoon City, where police have found another victim of the "Arklay Cannibals." While no official report has been released by the police, I've been informed the victim is a young man – a student at Raccoon High."

"Oh man, they got a kid…." Brad spoke up. That was the first thing the usually taciturn pilot had said since arriving at the Raccoon Police Department earlier in the afternoon.

"Word from Police Chief Brian Irons earlier this week stated S.T.A.R.S was being brought in to access the situation after things grew too intense for the small RPD. With this latest victim, S.T.A.R.S is needed more than ever."

As the news cut away to commercial Forest turned off the set. He ran a hand through his long brown hair and sighed deeply. Raccoon was a small city with small-town people. The biggest thing that happened there all year was the Fall Carnival and Raccoon High's rivalry with neighboring city Lake Village. The very idea of a single murder happening was shocking, but eleven in a three month period? After autopsy reports had shown human saliva on several victims the press dubbed the attackers "The Arklay Cannibals" and the Special Tactics and Rescue Squad was called in.

A large figured stepped into the doorway, filling the entire space. Barry Burton wasn't overly tall, only 6'2" like Forest, but where Forest was lean and toned, Barry was built like a mach truck. His shoulders were wide and his arms and chest were stocky. Next to his family and his guns, the man loved his weightlifting and it showed. His deep voice spread through the room.

"Wesker wants us in the second floor office in ten. He heard about the High School kid and is ready to get the briefing underway."

In the upstairs office was the rest of the S.T.A.R.S team. Kenneth sat at his desk reading autopsy reports; Richard was in the corner tinkering with the radio as Rebecca looked on, eager to learn something new. Edward was reading mechanic reports for the helicopters they'd be using. At the front of the room were team leaders Albert Wesker and Enrico Marini, going over what they knew and what they were planning on doing.

Outside in the hallway were loud footsteps as sneakers collided with tile. Jill had been so busy going over newspaper clippings, witness interviews, and police reports that time had almost slipped away. It was a good thing most of the RPD was at the current crime scene because she definitely would have gotten a speeding ticket flying to the building. She was in such a hurry that she didn't have time to see the group of men coming around the other corner.

"Oof!" came the yell as she slammed into something and fell back, landing on the cool tile floor. She looked up to see a brick wall with a beard named Barry Burton flanked by the other males of the Alpha and Bravo teams. A large, gloved hand extended out to her and she grabbed on, pulling herself up.

"Sorry, Barry."

"Don't worry about it. Come on, Wesker and Enrico and waiting."

As the rest of the team arrived and took seats at their desks, Wesker patted Enrico on the shoulder and nodded. The mustached leader of Bravo nodded once and then headed to his own desk. As everyone settled in Wesker gave the team an once-over from behind his black Aviator shades. He began to speak, his voice smooth and full of confidence.

"We all know what's been going on here. A group consisting of between nine and twelve people has been attacking civilians in the forest around the Arklay Mountains. As the body count continues to rise, Irons and the RPD realize they can't handle the situation – which is where come in. After speaking with Enrico it's been decided. The Bravo Team is going to head into the forest zone in Sector 6A and work their way into where the group is believed to be hiding."

Nods went across the room. This was getting very serious. Whoever these people were, they were extremely dangerous and neutralizing them would be no easy feat. As Wesker continued to speak Richard looked over and noticed the expression on Rebecca's face, she was staring at her hands and holding one in the other. She was afraid, he could see it. From the corner of his eye he caught a motion and looked up, Wesker was walking down the aisle of desks.

"Bravo will leave at 1800 and head into the forest zone. After their report, Alpha team will assist if needed. The time is now 1700, listen up: Edward will ready the chopper for take off, Forest, you're in charge of munitions, make sure the team is equipped and ready for combat. Kenneth will assist the rookie in preparing her field kit. Richard…"

Richard felt Wesker's eyes on him, even from behind those perpetual shades. Wesker was a man of few words, but his demeanor showed he was in control and was a man to be listened to when he spoke.

"Sir?"

"You're the radioman. Make sure Bravo has full contact with us during the mission."

"Yes sir." Richard found himself saying. It wasn't that he had anything against Wesker, he was just an intimidating figure. Richard stood and headed back to the console in the corner he was at previously as the rest of the Bravos scurried about for their various missions. They had an hour before take off and every minute counted.

"Why aren't both teams going in? If there a dozen cannibals, probably armed, why doesn't Alpha go in for immediate backup?"

Wesker turned, hearing Chris Redfield speak up from behind. For the past month Chris had been obsessed with the case and was a little too eager to get involved with it. Wesker ran a hand through his blonde locks and shook his head.

"This isn't a militia, Chris. RPD's Profiler says we're looking at a small group that is nothing an armed team can't handle. Bringing in the Alphas would be overkill."

"What if the Profiler was wrong? What if their numbers are more or if they're better armed than we thought? Did you consider the possibility of booby-traps in the forest?"

Chris was persistent. He believed there was more to this than a group of backwoods yokels who saw a little too much Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Police Profilers were good at their jobs and if they said Bravo could handle it, Bravo could handle it.

"Don't doubt them, Chris. If anything goes wrong Brad will fly us out there immediately."

Maybe that had done it. Chris nodded and then looked over to Barry, as if for support. The older man nodded, siding with Wesker. If the situation did turn dire, the Alphas could fly in to save the day.

Forest picked up a duffel bag filled with the heavy weapons and sat it aside. Shotguns, Rifles, all the big-boy guns were in that faded brown bag. He kneeled in front of the locker, sliding clips into Berettas for his fellow teammates. The only man on the entire team who knew more about guns and owned more was Barry. Though the Alpha was nine years his senior, their love of firearms and their NRA memberships helped them bond quickly. After sliding the last clip in, he dropped the handgun into a second, smaller bag and then stood, sliding the heavy bag across his back and carrying the handgun bag in his right hand.

"Mr. Sullivan, do you think we'll really need to use these things?" Rebecca spoke up, looking away from a white case filled with gauze, tape, and disinfectant among other things. Kenneth looked over to her from his own case which was filled with syringes and various vials. He was old enough to be her father, but being called "Mr. Sullivan" just made him feel that much older.

"You can call me, Ken, Rebecca. Everybody else on the team does."

"Right. Ken. Do you think we'll really need to use this stuff?"

"Who knows? If one of the Cannibals takes a bite out of one of us, we'll need to be healed up. They might also have hostages, and they'll need medical attention too."

Rebecca nodded. She had been walking on air ever since she was invited to join the S.T.A.R.S by Wesker himself and now that her first mission was underway, she had cold feet. Somehow the warm smile of Ken Sullivan made her feel more relaxed and she knew Richard would take care of her; he had been looking out for her since day one. The two of them finished packing their kits and left the room, heading for the heliport.

The helicopter was already on, the propellers spinning slowly. Edward sat in the pilot's chair, waiting for the other Bravos. The door to the roof opened and Enrico Marini stepped out, followed by Forest who was lugging the weapons. In the cockpit Edward cupped a hand over his ear, listening for the voice on the other end of the headset.

"This is Richard. Do you copy?"

"Copy that, Richard."

"Good. It seems the radio is up and working. See you in five. Over."

Enrico and Forest boarded the whirly-bird as Rebecca and Kenneth followed, loading in the medical supplies. The long-haired Southerner began distributing the 9mm handguns while they waited for Richard. A moment later the door opened for a third time and out stepped Richard. He climbed in and shut the door behind him; taking a Beretta from Forest and sliding it into his belt holster.

"Bravo Team heading out."

"Copy that, Bravo Team."

The voice on the other end was that of Wesker. With the go-ahead Edward took the copter up and began flying west toward the forest. S.T.A.R.S was heading in to deal with the "Arklay Cannibals" and once Bravo arrived, those freaks would wish they'd never come to this small town.


	2. Chapter 2

The fog had rolled in densely as the sun began to set in Raccoon. It had been thirty-five minutes since Bravo left the RPD and they were nearing their landing point. Edward leaned forward, doing his best to see through the fog that had wrapped around the forest like a muggy blanket. Behind him the other Bravos were ready for action – most of them. Rebecca sat there, staring at the 9mm Beretta in her hands, aiming the muzzle at the floor and sliding her fingers over the handle.

"Hey – you alright?"

She looked up to see Richard Aiken giving her a warm smile as he slid down on the bench next to her. He was five years older than her and had become her best friend on the team. Being only eighteen years old made her extremely nervous on the first day, but Richard's calming smile and warm demeanor made her feel at ease. Though she'd never admit it, she had a crush on him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little scared." She had to speak loudly to be heard over the engine and blades of the copter but even then, her voice sounded small. She felt a warm hand on her knee and suddenly she wasn't afraid anymore.

"We're all scared on our first mission. You know what my first mission was like?"

Before Rebecca could inquire into Richard's anecdote the helicopter shook violently and everyone sat upright. Enrico unbuckled and moved to the front of the cockpit as Edward gripped the controls tightly. The Bravo Captain yelled out, his Latino accent showing up when he was excited.

"What's going on! What happened!"

"I don't know, Sir! The engine light is on; we have to land this bird NOW!"

Enrico looked down at the gauges. The temperature gauge was in full red – they were overheating. He quickly hustled back to his seat and buckled himself in. Edward acted quickly, twisting the controls this way and that and gripping them so tightly they were almost shattering.

"HANG ON! EMERGENCY LANDING!"

Everyone braced themselves for impact; Enrico leaned back, Forest leaned against the wall, Kenneth gripped at the bench, and Richard and Rebecca wrapped their arms around each other. Thumping sounds like rain sounded out, but it wasn't rain. The helicopter was hitting the tops of trees. The entire cabin began to shake as the thumping sound grew louder. Edward pulled back on the controls one more time and then with a mighty bump the Bravo copter landed and skidded forth.

Once everything had settled down Enrico was the first to action. He unfastened his safety belt and looked around the cabin, taking in the scene with his dark brown eyes. Everything seemed to be in as well a fashion as it could.

"Everybody okay?"

The other Bravos nodded and began unfastening their own safety belts. The door was jammed but a few shoulder thrusts from Enrico solved that problem. The Captain stepped out, followed by the rest of his team. As Edward climbed out, Enrico turned to him.

"Any chance this bird will fly again tonight?"

"Once the engine cools down, I may be able to rig it up to at least be able to return to somewhere in Raccoon. Until then all the use we'll have from this wreck is the radio."

The radio. He had forgotten about the radio. Enrico snatched the radio from his side and pressed a button.

"This is Enrico Marini. Wesker? Barry? Anybody copy?"

He was greeted with static. He shook the handheld unit and tried again; only hissing white static. The impact must have rattled a few chips inside. The pilot had already climbed back in and was trying to get a signal through his headset.

"This is Edward. Does anybody at the RPD copy?"

"….rost…..Curren….ation?"

It was all that came through his headset. He slammed the bottom of his fist into the console and then turned a few dials, hoping for better results. It worked. A clearer transmission traveled into his ears from the headset. It felt good to hear Joseph's voice on the other end.

"Frost here. What's your situation, Bravo?"

"The helicopter overheated and we had to make en emergency landing. We're about 1500 yards from destination. Once the engine cools down, I can fix it up enough to fly us back. Bravo will continue with the mission."

"Copy that. Over."

The sound went back to white noise and Edward removed his headset. He climbed out of the cabin and headed to Enrico who was standing about ten feet out looking around the location. The rest of the team was spread about, doing their own investigations.

"I got in touch with Frost, Sir. I told them we had engine failure but everything was still go."

"Good job. ALRIGHT TEAM! LISTEN UP!"

Enrico began yelling and the others turned back to look at him. They quickly assembled into formation in front of the Captain. They may have been the B-Team, but they were more than adequate soldiers. He ran a hand through his thick mustache and narrowed his eyes, going into "Captain" mode.

"Our copter is down with engine problems, but that doesn't stop our mission. We'll head deeper into the forest on foot and see what we uncover. Arm yourself and be on guard. These cannibals are dangerous and unpredictable."

As the Bravos began checking their weapons Forest headed back to the copter for the heavy duffel bag which held the heavy ballistics. Calling out, he stopped the Bravos and called them back to the helicopter. He pulled a handful of extra clips out and passed them around to his team before opening up the big guns. He pulled out a mean looking Remington M870 with obvious modifications and tossed it to Richard.

"Your old Rem, but I souped it up like you asked me to."

Richard cocked the super shotgun and twirled it once before sliding it over his back. No one, not even that marksman Redfield, could handle a shotgun better than he could. Now that Forest had made his modifications, this Remington would make anybody's day twice over. Forest pulled out one more large weapon, an M4 Carbine that looked as powerful as its shot was, and strapped it over his own back.

Armed and ready to go the S.T.A.R.S Bravo Team headed out. They only took a few steps before Captain Marini spun on his heels and looked at Edward who was already in the engine, standing back as steam poured from it.

"Be on your guard, Edward. These killers roam the forest."

He nodded and then the Bravos were on their way. Five armed S.T.A.R.S was enough to intimidate a small militia, the killers would be in for quite a surprise, especially if Richard took to his Remington or Forest unleashed some grenades on them from the Cabrine. Not to mention Enrico's spot on shot with a Samurai Edge.

Back in the RPD Chris Redfield was pacing the floor, his black boots clicking with every step he took. He had heard about the engine failure over the radio and his paranoid sense had kicked in. Thoughts of who sabotaged the helicopter were flying through his head. He looked over to Jill who had been sitting at her desk since the briefing.

"This doesn't seem odd to you?"

"Sometimes things happen, Chris. But you heard what Edward said, they're okay and will carry on with the mission. There's no need for us to go in yet. Edward read the mechanic report before departure. It was only a fluke."

He still wasn't buying it. If the mechanic report said everything was fine, why did the engine overheat? It didn't matter now. Though he still thought something may have gone wrong, Jill was right. Bravo was doing fine by themselves. He took one more look around the room and then reached into his front pocket, removing a pack of cigarettes.

"I need a smoke. Wanna join me?"

"No thanks, I like having my lungs healthy." Jill said with a slightly upturned nose. She watched Chris walk out of the S.T.A.R.S office and head down the hall before she turned back to the folder on her desk.

The Bravos were a good 500 yards from the helicopter, still exploring their surroundings. Beams of white light poured from their flashlights yet all they saw was knee high grass and trees. It sounded like a normal night in the forest, a few owl "hoos" and crickets chirping. A rustling sound came from a bush off to their right and the five Bravos immediately turned to that direction. Maybe it was one of the cannibals, or it could have been a forest dweller hunting for something to eat.

As they waited, the bush rustled again and a low growling sound could be heard. Richard cocked his shotgun and steadied his aim, waiting for whatever it was to reveal itself. Suddenly a large figure ran from the bush, barking…like a dog? With a squeeze of the trigger the shotgun exploded and the shadowy attacker let out a large yelp before tumbling into the grass. Four more guns pointed at it, ready for another attack, but it didn't get back up.

Rebecca stepped forward from the rear of the pack and made her way towards the creature Richard killed. She kneeled and shined her flash light on it. It was a dog. A Doberman – or what used to be one. It was missing its right ear and part of its skull was exposed, some of its fur and flesh was missing from a side, exposing a ribcage. A large cavity was in its chest, the result of Richard's shotgun blast, but the other wounds…a gun hadn't done those.

"It's a….dog."

"Looks like we found what killed those hikers. At least it's dead now."

Richard said as he cocked his weapon again, loading another shell into the chamber. Rebecca examined the creature still, seeming enthralled with this discovery. Her eyes narrowed as she leaned in, and she gasped. Enrico stepped forward, kneeling beside her.

"What's wrong?"

"This isn't right. Not right at all."

Enrico looked down at the dead dog and saw it up close for the first time. A shotgun blast from Richard had ended its life, but from the looks of it, it had already been dead. At least it should have been dead with the other injuries on it.

"Sir, have you noticed the blood on it?"

"What about it?"

"It's coagulated." She said with a chill in her voice as Forest stepped forward, wanting to get his own clear view at the creature that had attacked them. He saw the exposed ribcage and skull and noticed the thick, gelatinous ooze on its wounds.

"What does that mean?"

"It means this dog was already dead."

Kenneth spoke up as he moved forward to join the rest of the team. Forest turned to look at him with an awestruck look. Already dead? But it had been in the bushes moving about, it barked and growled and had attacked them. Things that were dead did not do that.

"I know it sounds odd, but blood doesn't thicken until several days after death. When your circulatory system isn't working the blood has no place to go and it just sits there…and turns into goop. Something killed this dog."

Forest was just about to question Rebecca on how the dog could be active with thick blood when a loud scream and another growl was heard from the distance. As everyone looked in the direction it had come from, they saw Edward aiming his gun at the ground and firing at another dog-shaped shadow. The creature yelped as it let go of its embrace on his calf and he hobbled backwards.

"EDWARD!"

Rebecca screamed and drew her gun as another one of the dogs leapt from behind and pounced on Edward's back, taking him down. He screamed as the animal bit into his neck as a second leapt on him, biting into his leg. Several shots were fired from Rebecca's gun but she was too far away for the shots to even come close. Forest, Richard, and Enrico broke off into a sprint towards their fallen comrade. The sounds of his screams and the dogs barking and growling were excruciating to listen to.

To their horror they saw a third dog join the pack and then run off, Edward's left forearm, still wielding his Beretta, in its mouth. Before they could get any further the two dogs turned towards them and began running, the yelped at the handgun shots, but still kept coming. Another blast from Richard's shotgun took one down but the other was barreling down quickly. From their left another three of the wild dogs came from behind a tree. They couldn't fight them all off. Enrico screamed.

"PULL BACK! PULL BACK!"

Another shotgun blast took down the closest dog and the three Bravos retreated. Kenneth and Rebecca broke off into their own run, leading the pack since they were further away. As they ran they occasionally turned back, firing into the darkness and tall grass, hoping to hit one of the dog creatures. Every few shots rewarded them with a yelp of pain but they just kept coming.

Edward was dead. One of the dogs had taken a bite out of his neck and the other one had completely gnawed his arm off. Even if they could have fought off the dogs, he would have lost too much blood before Rebecca could treat him. One of the S.T.A.R.S was gone, a victim to the wild dogs who had claimed eleven others.

"UP THERE! IT'S A HOUSE!"

Kenneth screamed as loud as he could. He was right. Several hundred feet away was a large house, nestled in cozily among the trees. The sight of safety gave the Bravos a new sense of adrenaline and their legs began to carry them faster. Rebecca sprinted to catch up with Kenneth who was leading the pack as the other three held the back end, trying to hold off their attackers.

"I'M OUT!"

Forest screamed as he jettisoned a clip from his Beretta and fumbled at his waist for another. Enrico fired off, taking down a dog which was catching up with them. Richard fired off his last shotgun round and began to reload while running. Forest slammed a fresh clip in and helped Enrico cover as Richard reloaded his shotgun.

As Richard squeezed the trigger he was rewarded by several yelps and a splash of blood. The spread-shot had taken out several of the killer dogs, buying them some much needed time. They reached the stoop leading into the mansion and Rebecca tried the door; locked. She slammed her hands into it and began pounding, screaming for someone on the other side to let them in.

"THE HELL WITH THIS!"

Kenneth pulled Rebecca aside as Enrico shoulder-thrusted the door. It shook under his weight but didn't open. He slammed his shoulder into the heavy wooden door several more times but all he managed to do was splinter it. Several well placed kicks followed and finally a metal deadbolt was exposed.

He gave it one more kick before taking aim with his Samurai Edge and firing off a shot. It took two more attempts but the deadbolt finally gave way and the door opened. Kenneth escorted Rebecca in as Enrico yelled to Forest and Richard.

"Come on! Inside, now!"

Each man fired once more and then ran for the door, literally leaping in. Enrico took one more shot and nailed a dog who had managed to reach the steps. It fell back with a cry of pain and in he went, slamming the heavy door behind him. Realization set in that it wouldn't stay closed. It was splintered and the deadbolt was destroyed. He held his massive frame against it and began looking around the room.

"There!"

A few feet away was what looked like the leg from a table. Forest quickly grabbed it and tossed it to Marini who shoved it in between the door handles, shutting it off. Outside they could hear the dogs pawing at the door, wailing as their meal had escaped. They got Edward, but the others had escaped.


	3. Chapter 3

The door was secure so no more of those dog-monsters would be getting in. Enrico stepped forward, examining the scene. They were in what appeared to be a rather grand hall or foyer or whatever it should be called. Directly in front of them was a large staircase with red carpeted steps that led up to a second story. To the left was a wooden double door and to the right were two other doors. This place was well furnished and by the sign of the burning lights all through the hall, someone was using this place. The Captain stopped and began to reload his weapon as the other Bravos looked around. The first voice to break the silence was Forest.

"Somebody has a fat bank account. This place is huge…..Whew…."

Forest ended his speech with a loud whistle as Enrico slipped his handgun back to his side and turned to look at the rest of his team. They had escaped the threat outside, but their helicopter was abandoned, one of the team was dead, and worst of all, the radio and the weapons were still on board. He ran a hand through his thick hair and sighed. Something had to be done.

"My best guess is this is the old Spencer Estate. We're in the right position and I doubt there are many mansions out here in these woods. This isn't over yet. We lost Edward but that doesn't change our mission; we still have to find the killers. There's a good chance they may be using this house as a hideout, so we have to search it."

The remaining four Bravos moved to stand next to their leader and each nodded in agreement. Edward wouldn't die for nothing and this house had to be a hideout. It was right in the middle of the attack zone and the fact the lights were on showed someone was definitely using it. Umbrella may shut it down, but it was definitely in use at the moment. Enrico began to pace in front of them, his hands clasped behind his back, it was his classic pose for when he gave orders.

"We need to split up and search the house. We can cover the most ground that way. Forest, Richard….You two take the upstairs, Ken, I want you to check out the bottom west. The rookie will come with me to investigate the east side of the house. Are we clear?"

The four nodded and began to head their separate ways. Forest and Richard sprinted up the stairs and parted, Richard took the west side and Forest the east. Both men disappeared through doors and slowly the sound of their footsteps faded. Kenneth opened the door on the west and peered in. He looked back to Enrico and Rebecca.

"It's a dining room."

Enrico nodded as Kenneth went in. With the three men gone Enrico looked down to Rebecca and gave her a small grin. He knew she was afraid. This was her first official S.T.A.R.S. mission and already they had lost a member of the team and been chased by those killer dogs. She was already green and didn't need to be afraid which is why he had decided to take her along with him. He moved to the east side of the house and grabbed the knob that led through a blue door.

"Chambers, sweep. One…two…."

On three Enrico shoved the door open and Rebecca quickly stepped in with her weapon raised. The room was empty. The only thing she were a few paintings on the wall, a statue of a goddess holding a water vase, and then a door on the back wall. Enrico stepped in behind her and closed the door, surveying the room himself. It was empty and calm, which was a good thing. He gently placed a hand on Rebecca's back and pushed her forward, leading her through the room. As she pulled open the door in back the only thought he had was of what the rest of the team had found.

The sound of boots softly plodding against carpet filled the small hallway as Richard stepped through. The house had been empty on his side so far, the only thing out of place was the amount of dust on everything and the faint odor of something gone bad. It reminded him of old fruit or rotten eggs. Whatever it was, it sure did smell awful and worse, the smell became stronger as he moved through the winding hallway.

A few feet ahead he saw someone standing idly in place. The man was dressed in brown slacks and had a long white coat, the kind that scientists wore. His hair was scraggly and he was missing a few large patches in the back. It took Richard less than five seconds to realize the foul odor was coming from the man who stood before him. The man still didn't move, he just stood there as if he were sleeping. As Richard watched him, thoughts began to run through his head. This place was built by Umbrella and then shut down. It was supposed to be empty. What if they had reopened it and were conducting work? That would explain the man dressed like a scientist before him.

"Excuse me…..Hello?"

The man didn't react. He still stood there in his daze. Richard took another step forward and called out to him again. Very slowly the man turned to face him and then Richard instantly took a step back. His face was dried out and his skin drawn tight, his eyes were sunk down into his skull. The only sound he made was a low moan and then took a step forward. His hands raised and Richard saw the skin on his hands was in the same condition. Richard stepped back again.

"I'm Richard Aiken from S.T.A.R.S. There's no need to be alarmed."

It didn't help. The man still moaned and was reaching out to grab him. Was he sick? If this was a lab of some type, maybe something happened. He kept getting closer and Richard did the only thing he could do. He raised his shotgun and pointed it right at the man's face. Even a loaded weapon being pointed at him didn't deter his advances. Richard kept moving back to keep distance between them.

"Freeze! Don't make me shoot you!"

Still nothing. This man was sick, it was obvious. He looked like hell, smelled like it too, and wasn't stopping. When he got close enough Richard swung his shotgun around, smashing the stock into the man's face. A spew of blood and teeth flew from his mouth and he fell down to the floor. As if pain didn't register he slowly sat up and climbed to his feet. Richard gasped as the man began advancing again. He was bleeding from the mouth and some of his teeth were missing, but it didn't seem to affect him. Moving quicker this time the sick man managed to grab Richard and bit at him, what was left of his bridge sinking into the material of his vest. The man pulled back with a slab of Richard's vest in his mouth and began chewing. Richard shoved him away and then took aim with the shotgun. The trigger squeezed and the powerful spread shot went out. The man gasped and then tumbled to the floor, oozing blood from his torso. His body twitched a few times and then stopped. He was dead.

"Son of a bitch bit me…"

Richard mumbled to himself as he looked down to his shoulder. A piece of the thick vest was gone, but otherwise he wasn't hurt. Without the vest the man would have bitten right through his shirt and into him. His eyes moved to the downed man who wasn't moving anymore. He really was dead, but it was an act of self defense. Richard rubbed at his shoulder and then moved on, stepping over the dead man.

Ken Sullivan looked up from kneeling next to a fireplace in the large dining room. He heard the muffled shot from upstairs and judging by the loudness, it had to be Richard's shotgun. He stood to his feet and looked into the mantle, noting the wooden plaque there. His area of skill was in scouting so right now he was investigating the large dining room on the first floor. Maybe there was some clue somewhere that would tell him something about this house and the people who were using it. When the mantle turned up nothing he stepped through the side door and found himself in a hallway. A quick turn to his left revealed a sitting area and then he looked right – and promptly stumbled backwards over his feet.

"OH MY GOD!"

The Bravo Scout yelled out as he saw the figure moving towards him. It was a man dressed in dark blue pants, a ripped up white button down shirt, and topped off by a tattered coat which was covered in mildew. He was completely bald and his skin looked like it was dried out and flaking away. The most disturbing feature was the large chunk from his bottom lip that was missing, showing his gums and bottom row of teeth. He greeted Kenneth with a low moan as he staggered down the hall.

"STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

Kenneth stumbled up to his feet and grabbed at his side, reaching for his 9mm. He drew the gun with shaking hands and aimed at the approaching creature. He squeezed the trigger and the shot flew right by the man's head, not even touching him. Staggering back Kenneth fired again, this shot flew by the left side, missing once again. He fired a third shot and this time the slug slammed into the man's right arm. It did very little do slow him down. He kept moving forward and Kenneth could feel his heart pounding in his chest, echoing in his ears as he pulled the trigger again.

"AHHHHHH!"

The bullet struck the man in the stomach but he still didn't react. He reached out and grabbed at Kenneth's shirt and the Bravo fell backwards, landing on his back. The crazed man fell atop of him and leaned over, biting into the side of his neck. Kenneth let out a blood curdling scream as the creature's teeth sunk into the side of his neck and pulled away. As the blood poured down from his neck the creature chewed greedily at the chunk of flesh in its mouth. It swallowed and then leaned down again, this time biting into Kenneth's cheek. He screamed again and reached out, trying to grab for his gun that had fallen during the struggle but it was out of reach.

He grabbed at the monster's collar and tried to push him away but he was getting weak and dizzy from the blood loss. His neck wound was running like a faucet and he could feel his head getting lighter and the blurring of his vision. As his breathing escalated and his vision started to fade the last thing he saw was the pale, white face leaning in again.


End file.
